If no danger, you have a marvelous experience." The serious look glided from his face, and was replaced by a smile as bright as before.
"Thank you very much," responded Uncle John, gratefully.

"I shall go back to the girls well satisfied." "Make the signorini stay in to-day," warned the colonel.

"It is bad, just now, and so black one can nothing at all observe.

To-morrow it will be better, and all can go without.

I will see you myself, then, and tell you what to do." Then he insisted that Uncle John clear his parched throat with a glass of vermouth--a harmless drink of which all Italians are very fond--and sent him away much refreshed in body and mind.
He made his way through the ashy rain back to the hotel.